I don’t know about you, but this is the time of year when I crave comfort foods. Images of creamy mashed potatoes, hot, yet filling soups and the tastiest staple: good old Macaroni and Cheese.
I love coming home after a long day and curling up with a good book and a hot bowl of fork twirling, cheesy noodles. I love topping this dish with breadcrumbs to give it body.
Recently, I was thumbing through my latest issue of Vegetarian Times (January/February 2012) and ran across a version where yummy carb-laden macaroni noodles were replaced with cauliflower, for a lower calorie take on the classic. This remake (pictured) had my mouth watering so I decided to give it a try.
First, preheat over to 350 degrees. Then bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge one large cauliflower head in the pot. Steam for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is fork tender. Reserve one cup of the cooking liquid.
Next, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Then whisk in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (Note: for a fiber kick, I used spelt flour and it didn’t affect the taste of the recipe). Whisk in 2 cups of milk, 1 clove of garlic (for the truly lazy, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder will work as well) and the one cup of reserved liquid. While whisking regularly, simmer under low heat and let cook for 7-10 minutes.
Remove from stove, and then stir in 2 cups of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup of nutritional yeast, 2 egg yolks and a pinch of red (cayenne) pepper. To view the rest of the recipe, go here.